Category: Life Science

Population Ecology Activities and Lessons

Need some population ecology activities that pop? Adding real-world connections can take engagement to the next level! Middle schoolers are naturally curious about animals, ecosystems, and the delicate balance of nature - so why not use that to your advantage? I've got lots of interactive activities that help students truly understand population ecology while keeping them engaged and invested in the learning process.
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cellular respiration activities for middle school

Teaching Cellular Respiration in Middle School

Teaching cellular respiration in middle school is like trying to explain WiFi to your boomer parents - oversimplify it, and they think the internet is magic; go too deep, and you've lost them somewhere between "router" and "bandwidth." Lean too far into "mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell," and students won’t see the bigger picture. But if you start throwing around terms like "electron transport chain," you'll lose them.

Photosynthesis Activities for Middle School

"Plants make food so animals can eat them." "Plants turn light into food." "Plants get food from the soil." If you've been teaching photosynthesis in middle school, I'm sure you've heard kids say these things. (And I'm sure they made you cringe.) Maybe it's just my students, but I always have to make it very clear that plants don't make food for animals' sake! They’re not magical vending machines that exist solely to keep animals fed! Is it the same in your classroom?
teaching photosynthesis in middle school
protein synthesis in middle school

Teach Protein Synthesis in Middle School?

I’ve always found that kids universally love learning about DNA and genetics. It’s one of those topics that seems to spark a natural curiosity more than most. It’s fun, engaging, and a home run of a real-world connection. But teaching DNA in middle school brings a unique challenge. Should we also teach protein synthesis in middle school?

Circulatory System Activities

Learn about fun, engaging, and no prep circulatory system activities you can use in your middle school science classroom.

Invasive Species Activity

Start your invasive species activity with a hook that catches students' attention every time! Whenever I introduce an invasive species lesson, I start with an old-fashioned "wanted" picture of a local invasive species. Around here, the kids are very familiar with invasive autumn olive berries and invasive Asian shore crabs. Many students recognize these species but don't realize they're harmful. By making something that they are familiar with the "bad guy", they're naturally curious to learn more. 

Pond Water Activity

Ah, that age-old science activity from days past - studying pond water! Why does it seem that no one does this anymore?! Studying aquatic microorganisms in pond water touches on lots of life science standards. And it's also SUPER FUN!

Sexual Reproduction in Plants Activity

Need a sexual reproduction in plants activity? You could always dissect flowers (and you should)... but don't stop there! Take it to the next level - grow and dissect seed pods! It's one thing to show students the structures that help plants reproduce, but the biggest piece of the puzzle in missing if you leave out the result - SEEDS! This informal activity helps kids to see not just the specialized reproduction structures in a flower, but also the result of fertilization.

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